


Choir, Choir, Please Be Quiet (Sing Me a Harmony)

by Makigaki



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-23 02:26:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18540412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Makigaki/pseuds/Makigaki
Summary: The conversation between Vanya and Pogo may have gone differently, but Vanya is tired of dancing to someone else's tune.Reginald was an awful parent, but that doesn't mean he didn't love his children.





	Choir, Choir, Please Be Quiet (Sing Me a Harmony)

"You knew?"

"...Yes."

 

There's only one question on Vanya's mind that needs to be answered before she blows the Umbrella Academy up.

 

"Why did he do it? "

"He only wanted to protect you from yourself, and... your siblings."

 

There's something she can't help but say.

 

"He was afraid of me."

 

Pogo sighs, looking centuries old as he speaks as sincerely as a monkey can.

 

"No, Miss Vanya, he loved you."

 

She remembers that cage he put her in when she was four.

 _Dehumanization_.

The one she couldn't hear anything in, the one that made her panic.

 _Slaughter_.

The spikes along the walls obviously discouraging 'play'.

 _Fear_.

Reginald told her it was hers and only hers, a place she could 'play' in.

 _Lies_.

Reginald brought Pogo, Mom, and Number Three into the space that was meant to be hers.

 _Betrayal_.

Reginald put her on meds that took away her emotions.

 _Brainwashing_.

But, now, _now_ she has them.

 _Freedom_.

But she also remembers how tenderly he held her shoulder when he guided her to the cage.

CARE.

He let her help train her siblings.

TRUST.

He gave her the greatest 'joy' in her life—music.

KINDNESS.

He never belittled her violin practice, even at the beginning when she had shaky hands.

PATIENCE.

His lips used to lift upwards into a smile after spending time with the kids when he thought nobody was looking.

 **LOVE**.

 

" _No_ , he _didn't_."

 

The rumbling stops anyways.

 

"He _locked_ me up."

"He _brainwashed_ me."

"He, _he_ -"

"Yes, Miss Vanya, he did."

 

They both know Pogo is affirming that Sir Reginald Hargreeves did, in fact, do those things, but also restating that _yes_ , Dad _did_ love her.

 

"Why did he do it?"

"He wanted to protect you."

 

Vanya feels like young her, who was so _weak,_  whose heart could practically glow and burst from her chest at any clue indicative of Dad's love. But another feeling boils up, poisoning her hope.

 

"I _trusted_ you."

"You _knew_."

"Miss Vanya, your father _loved_ you."

"Maybe. But _you_ obviously never did."

"Vanya-"

"Too late."

 

Vanya has already fallen prey to the sickly sweet voice in her head that sings for blood.


End file.
